Improve Your Driving Record With Trapster

When's the last time you got a text message from a friend alerting you of a red light camera, speed trap, or highway cam? Well, if Trapster is your friend, then you should get them all the time. Trapster is an application designed to run on mobile phones that detects your location based on WiFi or GPS signals, and when you approach a possible speed trap or traffic monitoring system, Trapster sends you an SMS message. The service is free, and users can sign up at Trapster.com. The database of ticket hazards is updated and maintained by the Trapster community, and speed traps can be rated for their accuracy, which gives more weight to higher rated alerts. Check out the video after the jump to see this in action. It's a pretty cool tool! (I just signed up).

Thanks for the tip Eric!

Cool Video: Kenwood DNX8120

I found this cool video of Mike Morgan from Kenwood running though the basic functions of the new Kenwood DNX8120 double-DIN multimedia navigation radio. This was by far one of my favorite radios from CES.

in the forums!

Garmin Nüvifone: A Traveler's Dream Come True

In the aftermath of CES came what I thought was a breakthrough product. I’m on the road 20 weeks a year and typically test drive more than 40 cars annually. I have tried to configure various mobile phone devices with an easy-to-use GPS package, but quite frankly, none have all the functionality of a standalone PND (portable navigation device). That is until now as Garmin has introduced the Nüvifone, which it claims is the first 3.5G smartphone to include full navigation, Internet browsing and messaging in an all-in-one format with a PDA-style form factor.

Unlike trying to run GPS software on your phone, this is much more like a PND with phone functionality. You put it in its dock and the GPS is activated. Through the navigational menu hands-free calling is enabled. It includes a Google local search functions so if you want to search for the nearest Starbucks, just search for “coffee shops” and it will provide a Web-based rating of local merchants and can navigate you there quickly. As I typically make four to six trips to Europe each year, I really appreciate the fact that the Nüvifone includes preloaded maps of North America and Europe and announces the street names for upcoming turns.

--Richard Truesdell
Editorial Director of Automotive Traveler, an online-only automotive travel lifestyle publication.

(Full gallery available after the jump)

in the forums!

A King Dethroned: The New Navigon 8110

We just told you about the new Navigon 7100 a few days ago, donning it the "King" of current portable navs. Well, it might be getting dethroned, but at least it's staying in the family. This might be the new Navigon 8110. It looks sleeker and sexier, and should feature the latest Navigon MobileNavigator software (Version 7), which will be faster and offer an upgraded 3D Reality View interface. The 8100 series will be housed in a brushed aluminum housing with a 4.8" widescreen, a nice upgrade from the 7100's 4.3" screen.

The 8100 is just as feature-packed on the inside as the 7100, offering Bluetooth for handsfree mobile phone connectivity and a built-in RDS/TMC receiver for real-time traffic and weather info for example, but will also feature a built-in wireless FM transmitter to integrate the 8100's route instructions through any radio.

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in the forums!

Navigon 7100: A New King of Portable Nav Emerges?

Navigon is a relatively new player in the US portable nav market, but they're coming out of the gate with a wide-open throttle and a full tank of gas. The 7100 is Navigon's flagship model, and not only does it offer all the standard features you expect in a portable navigation these days, but Navigon has thrown in a few extra unique features to sweeten the deal. An easy-to-read 4.3 inch widescreen color touchscreen offers easy access to menus, and is large enough to incorporate a good deal of map information. The 7100 also includes a lifetime subscription to Real-Time traffic, advising you of traffic flow, accidents, and alternate routes, all for free.
Navigon’s Reality View also improves the overall navigation experience by providing a 3D realistic street-level view of the road, including road signs and exits. Combine that with Navigon’s Lane Assistant technology, which instructs drivers of the optimal lane of travel for their route, as well as text-to-speech for spoken route instructions and street names, and the chances of missing an exit or next turn are slim-to-none.

(More info and TON of pics are available after the jump!)